Malcolm Gladwell on Understanding School Shooters

In his New Yorker story “Thresholds of Violence,” Malcolm Gladwell turned his attention to the psychology of school shooters. In a conversation with The New Yorker’s Dorothy Wickenden, Gladwell explains why the social dynamics of school shootings are comparable to those of a riot, where every act of violence makes the next one slightly more likely. He also explains why the problem is far too complex to be addressed through gun control.

Dorothy Wickenden has been the executive editor of The New Yorker since 1996.